'I didn't say mosques should replace schools ' - Emir of Kano

Muhammadu Sanusi II reportedly called for the conversion of mosques to primary schools, especially in the villages.

This was the report from several sources, who said that the Emir of Kano came to this conclusion after a visit to Morocco, where he saw mosques that also served as classrooms for Computer Science and other subjects.

However, Sanusi has denied this in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP.

According to the emir, his words were twisted and taken out of context, adding that he only said that rural areas without primary schools should use their mosques as alternatives.

In his words, “What I called for was for mosques to be used in temporary capacities to bridge the gap of lack of educational infrastructure that is bedeviling many rural communities.

It should be known, for clarity, that the use of mosques as venues of instruction is nothing new. I didn’t say that schools should substitute or cancel mosques.”

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Moving on, he added, "even historically mosques are used for the accomplishment of other things other than worship. They have been used for instructions, meetings, arbitrations, policy planning and education."

The initial statement was made at an event in the Kano Educational Week programme.

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was also present at the event.